The Goth scene has been in full swill since the 1970’s, with its black clothes, Gothic Rock music and fetish tendencies. The music itself has many variations including Gothic Metal and even Electro Music. There are many Goth bands that originate from Europe, particularly the Netherlands and Germany.

But there are also many Eastern European Goth bands that are standing up to be counted. Many bands have been around since the 1990’s and have earned a lot of success.

• Female Vocals

There are many Eastern European Goth bands that have female lead vocals. Undish is a Christian Gothic Metal band from Poland that formed in 1991. Fronted by lead vocalist Ada Szarata, they have toured Germany, Switzerland and Austria in recent years.

Artrosis is another Polish group founded in 1995, they have had many past band members but lead vocalist Magdalena Stupkiewicz-Dobosz has been with them from the start. The band was nominated for a Fryderyk in 2001, which celebrates Polish music.

Croatian band Abonos were formed in 1999 by guitarist Jakša Vlahović and former keyboardist and vocalist Marta Vlahović. They have at present released only one self-titled album.

• Not Just Singers

There are quite a few female Goth musicians in bands who are not vocalists. Molly Sunrise for instance was a bassist in the Russian Goth band Abyss.

Another Russian band, active since 2007 is Adfail. They can boast two female band members in the form of Irene on Keyboards, and former member Nikita Bezkuladnikov on guitars.

A fairly recent addition to the Goth Rock scene is Angel of Fire. They formed in 2007 and have one of the youngest drummers on the scene in the form of 10 year old Vlad Vučeta. However it is guitarist Magdalena Loborec that we need to mention.

Finally, Lithuanian band Liunuosna, formally Smolder, who formed in 1997. Band members included female keyboard player Zivile. When the band split up in 2001, she went with some of the former members to form Cyber Goth bans Xess.

The Goth music scene has never been more productive, there are big festivals in Europe which have given Goth bands a platform on which to perform. Also the success of Goth bands such as Evanescence fronted by female vocalist and pianist Amy Lee, has encouraged more bands to form and has also inspired female musicians to be part of this very diverse and rich scene.

Probably the most widely recognized BDSM jewelry worn by practitioners is the Ring of O. The idea of the ring and its name came from a female character in the book that wore the ring after her training as a slave.

The novel The Story of O made the ring poplar among those in the German speaking countries who practiced BDSM. The ring in the book was a signet ring decorated with a Triskelion which is associated with celtic culture and paganism in the real world. In the book it was the symbol of a secret sadomachitic society.

In the movie version of the Story of O the ring was made of steel and resembled the o ring collars worn by slaves and submissive in the community. Today all sorts of jewelry reflect the style of the movie version of the Story of O ring and it is worn in vanilla culture as well.

In the book version of the Story of O the ring was worn by slave on her left hand. Poplar protocol usually has tops wearing the ring on their left hand and bottoms wearing it on their right hand. Switches have been known to wear a version of the Ring of O on a chain around their neck.

Today practitioners in BDSM have many options of jewelry with symbolism that will not be generally understood by the public and can be worn outside of the home.

BDSM jewelry is a way to identify yourself to brothers and sisters in the lifestyle in the course of your everyday life. It is also a way for a slave or submissive who must venture out to the vanilla world of who their Master is and who they proudly serve.

Couples in long term BDSM relationships may wish commitment rings that reflect knots that speak to their bondage to each other. A slave who has a long commitment of service may wear a ring that resembles their collar and reminds them of their vows made at a collaring ceremony.

Again these kinds of rings are symbolic of the choice of one to own or be owned and the symbolism that could be used is almost endless.

A collar to a submissive or slave is the most important personal symbol. Collars may just be a statement of a person’s role as a bottom or a sign that a person is owned and a slave in a twenty four hour relationships.

There are collars of different sorts and a jewelry collar is many times a day or public collar that is discreet and is seen as ordinary jewelry by passersby on the street or your co-workers. Again many slaves like to reminded of their status and announce their status as “owned “or “under protection” by a Dominant.

They can be very simple initial of Dominant pendent or a jeweled padlock pendant. The symbolism options are almost endless and ensure that the true meaning of the jewelry collar will not be easily discerned by outsiders.

Today the submissive or slave has a variety of lovely BDSM jewelry that can be worn to parties or work. There are a variety of earrings, necklaces, and bracelets that have various BDSM symbolisms. There are also charms that you can use on your piercings to make a more exact statement of your lifestyle.

Interesting cos for those of you familiar with how I come across my learning experiences on matters spiritual you will know that I haven’t actually ever formally studied any of these matters.

And in fact I don’t actually know of any foolproof way of instructing people how to access the astral plane. But I do know it is a place we all visit regularly; whether consciously or not. Any of you with some good advice on this topic please post via a comment.

I challenged Succulent Goddess to write a manual that I could provide a link to. Keep posted.

Visiting the astral is something I could always just do.

Many people think that the astral is a place that is only visited during sleep or is accessed through the use of special meditations; guided or otherwise. This for me is untrue as I am a shaman and knowledge and awareness of the astral as part of my normal waking state.

However for most people the astral is a place to visit during meditation or sleep. After much experience of accessing the astral that way then perhaps you can also learn how to access the astral simultaneously to your normal waking consciousness.

I can very easily accept that the astral could be a scary place for the uninitiated and those unfamiliar with it. For these reasons I think that learning a particular technique, or series of meditations might well be a very good idea. There is here on AC a content producer who I believe has written a book on this exact topic, though I cannot remember his details. Perhaps he could identify himself via my comments room.

Better to establish some ground rules for astral safety first. Though, as Succulent Goddess said, “intent is everything”. To a great extent I do agree with that comment though after the action has been performed the ‘intent of it’ needs to borne in mind so that any necessary future adjustments can be learned and made. In my experience Indigenous people always ask permission before enacting spiritual things; but this is fodder for further articles – so once again; keep posted.

Tantra Bensko, another AC Content producer asked how can we actually know if we’re just plain dreaming or actually having an astral encounter?

She imagined a clue might be in the constancy with which the same lover appears in your dreams.

We are constantly being monitored and observed by astral beings.

And though we may be merely having a plain old sexual dream someone on the astral will be watching it. And, in certain circumstances may want to partake too.

By the same token we too are also constantly roaming the astral – and it is possible we could, if invited take part in another person’s sexual adventures on the astral plane.

Therein lies the key word; invitation. And invitation cuts two ways in this regard.

The friend to whom I addressed my initial article about astral sex, where an ex lover of hers visited her for an astral sex encounter had invited him to do so albeit implicitly and in an unconscious manner and he had reciprocated her invitation by unconsciously accepting it.

In a simplistic kind of way the astral plane is like a great spiritual bank that you can transact with by making a series of withdrawals and deposits. .

So to get back to Tantra’s question; I believe it is possible to have sexual dreams that you don’t allow or invite anyone to join just as there are encounters with astral lovers that can involve either invited or uninvited participants. But remember that even those who seem to be uninvited ones have been invited by us too. This is an important point to bear in mind.

After my marriage break up I had a series of sexual dreams that were not astral sex encounters. Indeed I wrote a book about this stage of my life where all these dreams and many of the topics I have recently aired are all discussed. Support a starving writer by buying a copy!! (right click your mouse here). Thanks.

If you are out astral-slutting just hunting for a suitable partner then there are often many takers and our unconscious processes sort out the most suitable and therapeutic lover for us at this point in time. So I therefore think the most therapeutic form of astral sex is most likely astral slutting.

I would recommend conscious astral sex only with current Tantric partners.

And what I believe is likely to happen is that we will attract certain consistent partners for a while. Bit like being on the physical plane too where the next please rule applies

But on the astral we don’t need to apply anything like a 3-strike policy (right click your mouse here) cos your unconscious will naturally assure that the passion and adventure quotient is high.

I learned a great deal from my astral lovers who became my regular astral visitors. Keep posted.

Tantra Bensko also expressed concerns about the dangers of the astral.

There are certainly more than humans on the astral plane. I have encountered ancestral ancestors, ancestral animal and mythical beings, in fact all manner of natural, breathing phenomena. And yes – there are demonic and dangerous type creatures and people there too. The astral plane is neither heaven nor hell.

Being tolerant, non judgmental, humble, open and loving are the best prerequisites for both life on the physical plane and on the astral plane. Much can be learned on either plane of existence.

And people sometimes ask me, “How can you be so fascinated by violence when you espouse peace”? (many if you may be already familiar with my work in prisons with victims and perpetrators of violence).

I believe that in order to bring peace on earth we need to understand the nature and modus operandi of violence. Darkness is only the veil of pain that the light sometimes hides behind.

When I was writing my book, Detournee I was often followed by a fearsome, huge creature that also inhabited the astral plane. My good friend who was a Buddhist knew of that creature as he was a mythical demon in some Buddhist cosmology. I think that this type of experience is what Tantra Bensko was trying to warn against. But one evening, just as I was nearing the end of writing the book I ‘exorcised‘ this 50 metre long creature; turned around to face him and shoo him away from me and my life forever.

As such I don’t believe that an astral encounter is ever a direct threat.

And perhaps I can invite Tantra Bensko to write an article or two on this topic to enlighten us further by her own experiences and beliefs.

To Dina – have you had any luck on the astral plane yet? And to medievalquarter – do you have any further questions? And to Paul – I’m happy and intrigued to know what questions and healing my previous article brought about?

Gothic tattoos are of a style that acts as a way to identify the individual as a member of the gothic sub-culture. Many stereotypes and associations exist regarding gothic tattoos.

However, this style of tattoo tends to be quite beautiful and even trendy, especially among members of the sub-culture. Within this sub-culture, people are preoccupied with things of a dark nature, including demise.

Gothic crosses and ankhs are among the more well known gothic tattoos. The Egyptian symbol for “life” is the ankh, and this is contrary to the gothic preoccupation with death. People who are aware of this fact will ask for an ankh to be inverted, meaning it is the opposition of life.

Gothic crosses will be extremely decorative, and they typically will exalt the beauty of the loss of life. People who associate with the gothic lifestyle may even like to have an image of their bones tattooed across their skin. One of the more popular options for this is the rib cage, as well as the backbone.

Gothic mythical creatures also are quite popular. Some of these include dragons, a white rabbit, and fairies. One other option that is common is to have the wings of fairies, dragons, bats, or angels on the back.

Roses are particularly popular, especially in black. Many people get tattoos of spiders, skeletons and skulls, and even vampire bites due to the fact that many gothic individuals admire vampires.

Something else that is interesting to many gothic people is to have a certain type of lettering that is specific to this sub-culture included in their tattoos. This type of lettering is popular among many people, not just of the gothic persuasion.

This gothic type of lettering is quite beautiful, and it requires a great deal of artistry. That is why it is ideal for tattoos. Goths also enjoy getting tribal tattoos, since this artwork is typically done in black and has a symbolic meaning.

The designs for gothic tattoos have no limit. Anyone who becomes a member of this sub-culture will definitely want to explore the broad range of creative options that are out there. If you just want to express your unique sense of style, the sky is really the limit for your choices.

Gothic Tattoos for Those Who Love the Dark Side

It is a misconception among many people that gothic tattoos will only be related to death and darkness. However, such tattoos may be creative and decorative in many ways. Because of the high level of beauty in these designs, more and more people want to get these tattoos.

Gothic tattoos are a large part of the goth style. The allure is that they can help a person to display something of creative merit and with a beautiful meaning. These tattoos represent the beauty of imagination. Fantasy images, such as dragons and fairies, are great options for people who want to represent themselves in the gothic sub-culture.

The Most Popular Gothic Tattoos

Gothic Fairy:

These creatures have a human-esque appearance to them. They typically are created using black ink, and the images are like those of paintings from the Middle Ages.

Gothic Dragon:

Dragon tattoos have some things in common, though they can vary in size, shape, and styles. This style is popular among both women and men. They are designed to show both compassion and intelligence.

Skull Half Sleeve:

This design is quite imaginative and unique. Men and women alike get this type of tattoo frequently. A 3D skull image looks absolutely amazing.

Gothic Cross:

This Latin cross is heavily decorated with all types of designs. There often are demons, barbed wire, the Grim Reaper and much more that are included with them. Roses, fairies, angels and other softer designs also may be featured with the crosses.

Ambrosian chant is a plainchant attributed to St. Ambrose. It is also called the Milanese chant because St Ambrose was the Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397. The Ambrosian chant was primarily associated with the Archdiocese of Milan and northern Italy until around the 8th Century. It is unlikely that St. Ambrose composed the melodies that make up the Ambrosian Chant, although it is not entirely clear who composed the melody. He is been recognized as composing for many hymns, both text and chants.

The most prominent four hymns, Aeterne rerum conditor, Deus creator omnium, Jam surgit hora tertia, and Veni redemptor gentium are still being used today in the Ambrosian Rite services. There were many impersonators at the time and it has made it difficult to pinpoint exactly which hymns St. Ambrose actually created himself.

Sometime between the 8th Century and the 13th Century the Gregorian chant became extremely popular. The styles of the Ambrosian Chants and the Gregorian Chants are very different.The Ambrosian Chant was intended to be sung by males and often specific stations of the church were required to sing the chants, such as the boy choir or the deacons.

The songs were sung in one monophonic tone by the chanters. The chants are an essential part of the Roman Catholic Churches celebrations and worships of the Ambrosian Rites.

The Ambrosian Chants serves two functions in the Ambrosian Rites. First it is used in Offices of the Church. The chants are the 150 Psalms that are sung at Matins and Vespers in rotation. All 150 Psalms are sung every two weeks.

These rites differ from the Gregorian rites in several ways. One of the most significant things you will notices is the manner of using the incense during the rite. Second, the Ambrosian Chants are used in Mass for affirming faith. Also they are sung to accompany spiritual lessons and there are different chants for different celebrations.

Ambrosian Chants are sung throughout the liturgy. The Ambrosian Rite is simply a series of songs, Psalms, prayers and actions that lead services and create a Mass. There are different chants to be sung for the Time of Lent, for First Sunday and more occasions.

The Twelve Kyrie is chanted before Solemn High Mass performed during solemn occasions. There is the Alleluia chant as well as Evangelium Antiphous to name a couple more.The rites are performed using these beautiful chants to praise and worship during services.

Ambrosian musical manuscripts can only be dated back to the 12th Century according to Albert Turco. The earliest manuscripts were divided by a winter book and a summer book. The Ambrosian Chants along with the Gregorian Chants have survived the years and are offically sanctioned by the Roman Catholic Church.

It is important to preserve this type of worship for several reasons. The two most important is because of the beauty and sheer age of the plainchant style of singing and its place in the historical formation of the Roman Catholic Churches worship. The ancient custom of having a different Preface for every Mass was preserved by the Ambrosian Chants.